100 Legendary Knives

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Summary: great gift for collectors
Review: I always have such a hard time buying gifts for men, my father most of all. However, when I saw this book I knew it was for him. He is an avid knife collector, and this is the one thing I could get him that he wouldnt have ever thought of buying for himself. This book will be proudly displayed within all of his collection, and he can pick it up and flip through it anytime he chooses. Thanks

Rating:
Summary: 100 Legendary Knives
Review: I do knives professionally. I make them and sell them. I usually grab any new book on the market just because. There is always something I will use in my business, and this is the eye with which I read these books. This book is a joy to read explicitly because it doesn't have anything I NEED to know. I know some (or most) of the knifemakers in this book and think every one (company or individual) is an asset to his calling. There are others (many) who equally deserved space in there and maybe will if there is a book 100 More Legendary Knives. The pictures are terrific and the information is the most up-to-date I have seen anywhere. I don't agree with everything the author says, but most of those disagreements are personal preferences, not fact. You can't go to the movies for less than 20 bucks anymore; spend it here and you will get a lot more out of it (and you can take it home too). Even the wife can get something out of this book. It is a wonderful book for both the knife beginner and the seasoned pro.

Rating:
Summary: 100 Legendary Knives
Review: I do knives professionally. I make them and sell them. I usually grab any new book on the market just because. There is always something I will use in my business, and this is the eye with which I read these books. This book is a joy to read explicitly because it doesn't have anything I NEED to know. I know some (or most) of the knifemakers in this book and think every one (company or individual) is an asset to his calling. There are others (many) who equally deserved space in there and maybe will if there is a book 100 More Legendary Knives. The pictures are terrific and the information is the most up-to-date I have seen anywhere. I don't agree with everything the author says, but most of those disagreements are personal preferences, not fact. You can't go to the movies for less than 20 bucks anymore; spend it here and you will get a lot more out of it (and you can take it home too). Even the wife can get something out of this book. It is a wonderful book for both the knife beginner and the seasoned pro.

Rating:
Summary: My Take on 100 Legendary Knives
Review: Pacella's book 100 Legendary Knives contains excellent photos of exemplary knives of various types, albeit types arbitrarily chosen by him. The pics absolutely make the book worthwhile. However, because of Pacella's arbitrary choices of knives, some of the selected knives are not really "legendary" in any true degree, but simply an example of one of many types of knives. Various of the non-American bladesmiths and certainly most of the examples of French knife makers could have been replaced with more prominent names, most likely American. Of course, having arbitrarily named certain knives as legendary, like the Mississippi Gambler's knife, Pacella immediately opens himself to statements such as mine. It is good to remember that everybody's list of 100 legendary anything is up for discussion and disagreement. As well, the writing style at times creates ridiculous senses of things--"The various periods of prehistory succeeded each other, ..." What is "prehistory," that is, what exact time is before historical reckoning? And, yes, historical delineations of time are usually chronological and therefore do fall one after the other. The pics make the book, and it is well-worth the price only for the pics.

Rating:
Summary: My Take on 100 Legendary Knives
Review: Pacella's book 100 Legendary Knives contains excellent photos of exemplary knives of various types, albeit types arbitrarily chosen by him. The pics absolutely make the book worthwhile. However, because of Pacella's arbitrary choices of knives, some of the selected knives are not really "legendary" in any true degree, but simply an example of one of many types of knives. Various of the non-American bladesmiths and certainly most of the examples of French knife makers could have been replaced with more prominent names, most likely American. Of course, having arbitrarily named certain knives as legendary, like the Mississippi Gambler's knife, Pacella immediately opens himself to statements such as mine. It is good to remember that everybody's list of 100 legendary anything is up for discussion and disagreement. As well, the writing style at times creates ridiculous senses of things--"The various periods of prehistory succeeded each other, ..." What is "prehistory," that is, what exact time is before historical reckoning? And, yes, historical delineations of time are usually chronological and therefore do fall one after the other. The pics make the book, and it is well-worth the price only for the pics.

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Summary: The history of legendary figures who created knives
Review: There are plenty of knife valuation guides on the market, but 100 Legendary Knives is something different: it probes the history of legendary figures who named or created the knives, from Jim Bowie to Bill Sanders, a member of the Timberline trio. Each knife receives color photos and a vivid history of its makers, purposes, and how it fits into the knife world. Essential for knife collectors.